The workout plan I'm on (Westside for Skinny Bastards) has me mixing low-reps and high reps. So I'll do a bunch of 5-rep bench presses and then I'll do high-rep DB bench presses or floor presses as a followup. You might think about that - instead of doing 5-rep bench, 5-rep DB bench, 5-rep cable work, etc. you could do 5-reps for the really heavy compound work and then do 8-12 or even higher for the auxiliary work.

Just something you can think about, doing both a low-rep strength range and a higher rep stamina/hypertrophy range.

I like the way he has it. It gives a break from volume. For 3 weeks, it's an experiment. John, you probably feel different than you normally feel after a normal workout. Probably less fatique, or at least a different type of fatique. That's normal.

It was great I still had the pumped feeling but less of what I would have if I repped it out. It made me feel strong to be honest with you because that was the most i have ever did with skull crushers. Both the second set and the third set were new weight to me and i did it good form and without a spotter, barely. My elbows were sore and thats obviously from the weight and the triceps pulling on them. Overall I think it was great and I feel if I do this workout for about three weeks and then change it back up I will get stronger. It was a great workout and I'm trying to get huge but seeing different ways to get there. fibrial and sarcoplasmic hypertrophy..... there is soooo much information. What would you think i should change the workout to after the three weeks? Should I go back to the 12 10 8 three sets per workout or should I try something different? Also what do you think of noexplode? My workout partners drink that and they say they feel more focused and pumped. Im extremely focused now haha I don't know. Thanks for checking out the workout.

Just for validation of the experiment, I'd like to see you go back to your old routine for at least a week or 2 just to see if there is a change. You may want a deload week in between. It's your body, you're not a lab rat, so it's your choice. I'm not into bodybuilding so I don't know. I tend to go with a mixed rep, whole body type program. I'm not trying to get big.

The NO2 stuff is useless. You get a temporary pump and it goes away with no lasting effect.

what exactly is a deload week? I have no idea. My workout partners are on the same page with me and are down for this three week strength training to see where it brings us. I really dont take supplements i just started taking the portein meal supplement, disgusting. I hope it works haha I want to get huge and all that and now think it will take awhile. Although I'm very impatient I'll wait if it works. This change of weight is different its hard and its cool. I'll keep you updated definitely today is leg day sooooo I'll be lifting my heavyest I've ever lifted so cant wait for that!

ohhhh ok.... That would be kind of low intensity but maybe that would work it would be ok to not do that right? or is it better to deload? If I only did warm up sets id only be at the gym for like 20 minutes haha

ohhhh ok.... That would be kind of low intensity but maybe that would work it would be ok to not do that right? or is it better to deload? If I only did warm up sets id only be at the gym for like 20 minutes haha

You don't have to. You have to read your body. If you've been lifting heavy and fatique is building up in your body it's a good idea. You're only doing the 5x5 for 3 weeks, not long enough to cause this, but depending on how hard you've been working recently it could be an issue. It's better to take a planned week off rather than get sick and lose 2 weeks or more. Some people just wait until their schedule forces them to take a week off for a non-training reason. That works too. In my case, I don't have enough of the unplanned breaks so I have to plan them in.

So a literally one week break from training? Hmmm and when you say sick what do you mean? I never get sick..... I have been lifting a long time now roughly ten years and I still know nothing and that is so irritating to me. I know how to work every muscle i know a bunch of workouts but I don't know all the other stuff..... we'll see how my body feels and I'll plan accordingly. Thanks for the idea though.

Well, a one-week total break from training is a very severe deload, but it's not a bad idea. I used to do one every 2-3 months...I think the fact that I stopped doing that is why I've accumulated so many injuries over the past few years. Too much work, not enough rest, plus fight-related injuries = I'm stronger but more damaged than I used to be.

One deload strategy I've seen - it's been suggested for Crossfitters, who tend to go at full-bore intensity all the time - is 3 weeks full intensity, 1 week deload (50% of volume & intensity), 3 weeks full, 1 week deload (50% again), 3 weeks full, 1 week off (active recovery only - go for a walk, play some sports, whatever, no workouts). Then repeat. So in 12 weeks you've got one week off, 2 weeks of light work, and 9 weeks of full-bore working out. I think that's a pretty good one.

That assumes you actually work out hard, though. You certainly do from the look of your journal. You don't want to be a coach potato deloader (1 day low intensity workout, 2 weeks off...) but going full-bore 100% all the time is a bad idea too.

Talk about killer short workout my leg workout yesterday was a total of three different workouts with a combined sets of 9 sets. 3x5 dead lifts squats and calf raises. The deads were amazing cause every set was a new personal best! The squats though wow never ever have I lifted so hard. The fifth rep on each of the last two sets scared the crap out of me. I barely got it up turning nice and red getting to the top... locking it back. Crazy. Also does doing squats not on the smith benefit you differently? Squatting without the smith looks scary.... should I try it? The calf raise machine always leaves marks on me stupid pad thing my first set felt like it was going to cramp up but i pushed through it and the second set and third set I didn't feel like I was going to cramp up. Whats up with that?

I'd squat without the Smith. If you squat with the Smith machine, your body follows the bar, even if that's the best path for it to follow to lift. If you squat with a barbell, the bar follows your body (and gravity). So generally you'll see people recommend skipping the Smith machine.

But yeah, low rep DLs are sweet. You really get to stack on lots of weight for them.

That deload process I talked about - 3 weeks on, 1 week low intensity - isn't graven in stone. For beginners generally you can keep going for a long time, and some people need more or less frequent rests. 1 week in 4 seems a common recommendation so it's not a bad place to start but you've got to figure out what'll work for you.

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest

You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot post attachments in this forum